Quick-break double-throw switch



A. P. BALL.

QUICK BREAK DOUBLE THROW SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1918.

1,400,343, Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I. I I! ATTORN EY A. P. BALL. QUICK BREAK DOUBLE THROW SWITCH- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1918.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNI ED" j STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT P. BALL, QF ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO SQUARE D COMPANY, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAH, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

QUICK-BREAK DOUBLE-THROW SWITCH.

' Application filed June 17,

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. BALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Royal Oak, in the county of Oakland and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick- Break Double-Throw Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description thereof.

My invention relates to quick break double throw switches, which may be of the armor clad or inclosed type.

An object of this invention is to provide a quick break at each throw of a double throw switch.

A further object of this" invention is to simplify the construction of quick break double throw "switches, whereby the desired objects are secured with a minimum number of parts.

A further object of this invention is to so design the parts of this switch mechanism that a very rugged and practically fool proof structure results. 7

A further object of this invention is to provide a center stop to catch and retain the quick breakswitch in neutral position.

A further object of this invention is to provide an outside lock ofi' for this double throw switch.

A further object of this invention is to so design the switch that it is normally possible to secure only a very rapid continuous motion from one extreme position to the other extreme position.

One of the many possible forms that this invention may take. is shown in the accom panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the double throw switch with an inclosed casing shown in dotted lines. 1

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional fragmentary view of the switch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the switch is inclosed in a casing 1 which may be of metal or other suitable material. The switch mechanism comprises stationary contacts 2 arranged intwo places or pairs, as may be seen from Fig. 1.

The movable contacts are ofthe pivoted type and are pivoted at their central portion to a member 3. These movable contacts each comprise two integral arms 4 at an angle to .each other substantially in the shape of a V, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. These mov- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

1918. Serial No. 240,376.

able contact members are joined by means of cross heads 5, which maybe formed from a metal .bar provided with insulating sleeves 6. These sleeves are fastened to the bar and to said movable contacts by means of clips 7, or clamping members. igidly mounted upon the cross heads 5 is a yoke member 8. This yoke'comprises two spaced plates 9, which are held in their spaced relation by means of bolts and spacing elements thereon, indicated by the reference character 10. This yoke member is provided at each end with lugs 11, the'purpose of which will appear later.

The construction above described is strong and substantial and not so likely to get out of alinement or to bebent out of shape when roughly used as one in which the tips of the V-shaped blades are free. Thisfollows from spacing of. the cross-heads 5 and from interconnecting the yoke member 8 to the crossheads The blades have no projecting parts and can readily be cut from stock sheet material without yvaste.

.The switch mechanism is controlled and operated by a suitable operating member, such as shown at 12, which comprises a horizontal portion, which constitutes together with upright portions and pivoted parts, a large crank carried inside of the casing. A portion of this operating member extends to the outside'and comprises an upright member 13 and an operating crank 14. This operating member 12 is connected to the yoke solely by means of a resilient member or spring 15, which is fastened at one end to said operating member and at'the other fasten ed by means of suitable bolt, rivet or other devicelG to the yoke. Upon movement of this operating member to thereby move the internal or switch mechanism, the operating member contacts with the lugs 11 and thereby moves said yoke, cross heads and movable contacts over in the direction in which said break. I

Inasmuch as there is a tendency in quick sioned by'the motion of,-the operating member serves to suddenly withdraw the movable contacts from engagementuwith the stationary contacts and thereby produce a quick break double throw switchesfor the switch mechanism to move overto an extreme limit of its-stroke, it. is-found advisable to provide some type of center stop for these doubl'e throw qu1ck -break switches Said center stop as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a fixed flanged plate 16 having pivoted thereon an outwardly springpressed plate 17 provided with anotch 18, adapted to receive the up-- right portion. 13 of the operating member and temporarily retain the same in upright or neutral position. ;This movable plate 17 has inclined faces or ed es 19 on either side i of notch 18, which are a apted to be engaged by the vertical member 13 and serve to de- .press the movable plate 17' until the operating member 13 arrives at the central position, at which time the movable platel? snaps outwardly and the notch 18 engages the upright portion 13 and retains the same i. in neutral position. This'is of special importance when the switches are so mounted -that'gravity will urge the blades toward one .set of fixed contacts. o

- However, in certain typesof electrical work or installations, it is desirable to have a double throw switch adapted to be thrown ,rapidly from one extreme position tothe other extreme position, as in motor starting, for example. Such a rapid motiontof this double throw switch is permitted'bythe c'enter stop illustrated. -When the switch mech-' 'anism is moved through themedium of the? operating member rapidly, from one extreme? position to the other extreme position, t;he part 13 of the operating member rides along one of the inclined faces 19 and due to this rapid motion depressesthis"movablelplate with considerable speed and the momentum thereby acquired-serves to \withdraw the notch 18 vfroin the path of motion of member 13 and allows its free passa'ge'from one extreme position to the. other extreme position, during this very rapid motion. It will readily be seen that unless the operator wil fully moves the plate 17, this isfthe only manner in whichthe switch may be moved continuously from one extreme sitio'nito the other extreme position, for if yacc'ident the operator should attempt to slowly move the switch from one extreme position itogth e other, the centerstop wouldimmediaely'stop this switch in neutral position.'

It will be further noted upon referenceto this center stop that the movable plate 17 and the stationary plate 16 are provided with alimng openings 20, which are adapted to receive the bail .or hook shaped portion of a padlock or similar lockingmeans.

number of functions. For'example, he has provided a double throw quick break switch equipped with means whereby it may be operated'as'a' double throw switch in the usual manner and stopped or temporarily retained in neutral position and has further provided means which insures a quick motion from one extreme limitto the other extreme limit,

and has further provided means whereby the switch may be locked in off position.

1 It-is intended that all matters shown and described in this detailed description and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense, as it is intended that the invention herein disclosed shall be limited only as defined by the claims.

Having thus described my invention,- what I'claim is: Q T

1. A quick} break double throw switch comprising a plurality of stationary and movable contacts, said movable contacts having a plurality of integral arms, a yoke rigidly connected to said movable contacts,

provided a very simple device, which is capable of a great many usesfand has a great an. operating member, and resilient means connecting-the operating member toa point on saidyoke intermediate the ends thereof.

' 2. A quick break double throw switch comprising a plurality, of stationary and movable contacts, said movable contacts having ,a plurality of integral arms, a yoke rigidly connected tosaid movable contacts, an-operating member, and resilient means interposed between said yoke and operating member, and connecting the operating mem- I ber tosubstantiallythe mid-point of'said yoke, said operating member extending transversely of, and adapted to contact with, said yoke.

3. A. quick. breakdouble throw switch I comprising stationary and movable contacts,

said movable contacts. having connecting T cross heads, a yoke rigidly fastened to said connectin cross heads and having engage able portions, an operating'member pos1- tioned outside the yoke but adapted to contact. with the engageable portions of said yoke, and resilient. means interposed between said operating member and an intermediate point on said yoke.

4. Av quick break doublethrow switch. I

comprising stationary and movable contacts,

said movable contacts comprising a.p1u-

1 ,ao sas rality of integral arms extending at an angle to each other and having connecting cross heads, a yoke rigidly fastened to said connecting cross heads, an operating member adapted to contact with said yoke, said member extending transversely of said yoke and within the angle formed by said blades, and resilient means connected to said operating member and said yoke.

5. A quick break} double throw switch comprising stationary and movable contacts, a yoke rigidly fastened to said movable contacts and provided with lugs, an operating member adapted to contact with said lugs and resilient means connecting said operating member to an intermediate point on said yoke.

6. A quick break double throw switch comprising stationary and movable contacts, a yoke rigidly fastened to said movable contacts and provided with lugs, an operating member positioned between said lugs and adapted to contact with said lugs and resilient means connecting said operating member and yoke.

7. In a double throw switch, a plurality of centrally pivoted V-type blades, means rigidly and insulatively interconnecting the corresponding ends of the blades, comprising independent cross-heads, and a yoke extending from one cross-head to the other, said yoke being fixed to the crossheads and comprising a plate having upstanding lugs near its ends.

8. In a quick break switch, a plurality of centrally pivoted V-type blades, means rigidly and insulatively interconnecting the ends of the blades, comprising independent cross-heads, a yoke comprising a plate fixed relative to the cross-heads and interconnecting them and provided with upstanding lugs near its ends, an operating member adapted to engage either of the lugs, and a spring between the intermediate portion of the yoke and the operating member.

9. In a quick break switch, a plurality of centrally pivoted V-type blades, means rigidly and insulatively interconnecting the ends of the blades, comprising independent cross-heads, a yoke comprising a plate fixed relative to the cross-heads and interconnect ing them and provided with upstanding lugs near its ends, an operating member adapted to engage either of the lugs, and a spring between the intermediate portion of the lug and the operating member, said operating member being a U-shaped crank pivoted substantially in alinement with the blades.

10. A quick break double throw switch, comprising a plurality of centrally pivoted V-type blades, sets of fixed contacts cooperable with the endsof the blades, and means for operating the blades, comprising an inverted bail-shaped operating crank pivoted approximately in alinement with the blades, said crank spanning the blades, and intermediate resilient connections between the crank and blades, said means being confined within the dihedral angle determined.v by: the blades.

11. In a quick break switch, a plurality of centrally pivoted V-shaped blades, means rigidly and insulatively connecting the ends of said blades comprising independent crossheads, a yoke embodying parallel positioned plates fixed relatively to the cross-heads and interconnecting them, said plates having upstanding lugs near their ends, an operating member adapted to engage either of the lugs, and a spring connecting said operating member and a point intermediate the ends of said plates and between said plates. 1

12 A quick break double throw switch comprising a plurality of stationary and movable contacts, said movable contacts comprising integrally formed V-shaped arms, a yoke member extending between the .arms and provided with engageable portions, an operating member adapted to engage said portions, and a spring connecting said memberxto the yoke intermediate said engageable portions.

13. A quick break double throw switch comprising a plurality of stationary and movable contacts, said movable contacts comprising integrally formed V-shaped blades, a yoke member extending between the blades and provided with engageable portions, an operating member positioned withoutand above the yoke and adapted to engage said portions, and a spring connecting said operating member to the yoke intermediate said engageable portions.

. ALBERT P. BALL. 

